The state Medical Examiner’s Office has determined that a 31-year-old Bend man who died in the Deschutes County Jail in mid-December died of a methamphetamine overdose, sheriff’s deputies said Tuesday.

The Center joins veterans health effort

'PC3' (Patient-Centered Community Care) cuts wait times

The Center Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Care & Research said Tuesday it has signed on as the first provider in Central Oregon to participate in Patient-Centered Community Care (PC3), a program designed to offer specialized health care to eligible veterans.

The PC3 program was established by the Veterans Health Administration to ease the increasing burden on VA hospitals across the country and to ensure veterans continue to have access to prompt, qualified medical care.

VHA has created a national network of health care providers who can provide eligible veterans with mental health care, limited emergency care, limited care for the newborns of female veterans and inpatient and outpatient specialty care.

The Center offers such specialty services, including orthopedics, neurosurgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation.

“We previously assisted the VA through the Heroes Program, and supporting PC3 is a point of pride for us," said Michael Gonsalves, The Center’s CEO.

"We are very grateful to all who have served our country, and our doors are always open to active and retired veterans in Central Oregon,” he added.

Veterans requiring surgery and other procedures can be treated at The Center’s surgical affiliate, Cascade Surgery Center.

According to VHA, veterans can access care through PC3 when their local VA Medical Center cannot provide the care needed due to lack of available specialists, long wait times, geographic inaccessibility or other circumstances.

Veterans are referred to a PC3 provider like The Center, who sees the patient within 30 days of scheduling the appointment. All medical records from the PC3 are then returned to the veteran’s home VAMC to ensure continuity of care.

Gonsalves said, “Quality, responsive providers and coordinated patient care are critical elements in realizing positive patient outcomes. Our veterans deserve the best medical care available, and the PC3 program ensures they get no less.”

About The Center

The Center: Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Care & Research is a multispecialty practice with 20 physicians fellowship trained in orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery and physical medicine, and 15 mid-level providers. Serving the region for over 50 years, The Center physicians have shared a commitment to the community with a focus on personal care for patients all over Central Oregon. A strong dedication to research has allowed the physicians at The Center to help develop new technologies and techniques, offering Central Oregon residents medical options unavailable in other areas of the country. To learn more visit www.thecenteroregon.com.

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